Sectiional seating furniture



Nov. 24, 1959 c. F. sAwYERs SECTIONAL SEATING FURNITURE 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Jan. 8, 1959 BY 7% @Z13-w, --r 'l ATTORNEYS c. F. sAwYERs 2,914,118

SECTIONAL SEATING FURNITURE Nov. 24, 1959 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Jan. 8, 1959 INVENTOR BY 41 f fwzw ATTORNEYS Nov. 24, 1959 c. F. sAwYERs 2,914,118

SECTIONAL SEATING FURNITURE Filed Jan. s, 1959 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 INVENTOR ATTORNEYS United States Patent 2,914,118 SECTIONAL SEATING FURNITURE Charlie F. Sawyers, Galax, Va., assignor to Sawyers Furniture Company, Inc., Galax, Va., a corpora- This invention relates to furniture and vmore particularly to demountable or knock-down furniture pieces which can be shipped and transported in the form of separate component elements and assembled in the home or office or other place of use.

` The general object of the invention is the provision of novel and improved furniture of the class described, particularly upholstered furniture, in which releasable fastening means for securing the component parts of the various items together are completely concealed from view when the furniture is assembled, but which are fully accessible without the necessity ofremoving or disturbing the upholstery or protective fabric of the component parts in any way.

The invention, in its preferred embodiment, contemplates the provision of an upholstered chair, settee, or sofa, in which the two arms, the seat, and. the back are constructed, and finished off as separate units, and in whichinterlocking readily engageable brackets secure the units together in properly assembled relationship.

Preferably, the two arm unitsare connected-to the seat unitnear the forward abutting side portions, and the arm units similarly connected to the back unit near the rear portions of the chair or sofa, while at the same time pro-V vision is made for interconnecting the seat portion with both the back and arm unitsadjacent that rearwardpoint.

Another feature of novelty. resides in the nature of the interlocking connecting elements, which are so constructed and arranged as to. draw certain of the units firmly together beyond the initial` superficial Contact of their upholstered surfaces. i y

Another point involves the provision, in connection with both the forward and rearwardly positioned brackets carried by the arm unit, of inward projections or ledges upon which the seat and back units ultimately rest and which can serve to limit the downward4 assemblingfmovement of these units-with respect to thearrns, and also provide means for applying anchoring devices for pre-A venting inadvertent separation of the units after assembly;

Other objects and features of novelty willbecome apparent when the following specification is readin connection with the accompanying drawings in which one embodiment of the invention is illustrated by Way of example.

In the drawings: Y

Figure 1` is a view in perspective of an upholstered chair embodying the principles of the invention, the chair representing generically any type of upholstered seating furniture, preferably of the outstuffed variety;

Figure 2 is an exploded View of the` partly disassembled chair including the seat unit, the back unit, and one of the arm units;

Figure 3 is a fragmentary view in vertical section taken on the plane` indicated by the line 3 3 of Figure l;

Figure 4 is a fragmentary View in horizontal section taken on line 4 4 of Figure 3;

Figure 5 is an exploded view of two cooperating interi locking brackets employed to detachably connect. theseat unit and the arm units at the forward portion of the chair;

Figure 6 is a fragmentary view in vertical section of the brackets in Figures 3-5, the units being in slightly displaced position with respect to each other as when the parts are being assembled;

Figure 7 is a fragmentary view partly in side elevation and partly in vertical section of the lower rearward portion of the partial assembly shown in Figure 2 looking toward the right in that figure, or as viewed in the plane indicated by the line 7 7 on Figure l;

Figure 8 is an exploded View in perspective of the co'- V operating brackets employed to detachably interlock the back unit and the adjacent arm units;

Figure 9 is a fragmentary substantially horizontal seci tional View taken on line 9 9 of Figure 7; and

Figure 10 is a view in horizontal section taken on line 1.0 19 of Figure 8.

Although the principles of the invention, as already mentioned, may be applied to any type of upholstered seating furniture, the example selected for illustration e herein is an overstuffed chair such asindicated by the general reference numeral 10 in Figure 1 of the drawings. This chair comprises a seat unit 12, a back unit 14, and 4two side or arm units 16 and 17, all of these comprising the principal supporting structure of the chair, and finally a cushion 18 which is applied to the top of the seat unit 12 between the arm units 16 and 17, but the cushion of course forms no patentable part of the present inventive concept. Similarly, the, actual conformation and design of the structural parts of the chair illustrated herein j should-"not comprise limitations on the application of the principles of the invention to a wide variety of chairs,

sofas, davenports, and other pieces of furniture adapted to provide seating.

Thearm units 16 and 17 may be considered as the basic supporting units since they are provided at their forward and rear portions with leg elements suggested at 20.

In assembling the chair and firmly maintaining it in rigid assembled condition, two sets of interlocking devices are `provided upon each side of the chaine forwardly disposed set. indicated generally by the reference character 22 adjacent the forward portion of the chair and a set shown at 23 at the rear portion thereof.

Both of these interlocking assemblies 22 and 23 are applied by relative vertical movement of the parts to which they are attached and which they serve tovsecure together. For example, in securing the seat unit 12` to the arm` units 16 and 17 the interengaging parts areinitially placed inv position one above the other and. then adepressionor downward movement of theseat unit.12 with respect to thearrns 16 and 17 serves to` effect the interlocking engagement. Similarly, the back unit 14, after initial guiding introduction of the interengaging partsof the, brackets, is moved in a downward direction' with-respect to the rear portions of the arm units16, 17 until the backA and arm units are in their final position as shown in Figure l. In orderY to more effectively guide these two partsv intoV their final assembly positions a tapered pin 25 extends upwardly fromV the rear portion of the top surface of the respective` arms 16 and 17 and is adaptedto enter an appropriate opening inthe bottom nection with the arm 17.

The arm 17, as a part of its structural content, includes a framework preferably of wood, parts of which are indicated at 28 and 30 in Figure 3, the part 30 extending from front to rear along the lower portion of the arm unit as readily understood from an inspection of Figures 2 Aand 3 of the drawings. An outer marginal framing element 32 forms the lower inner edge of the' arm unit 17 and a post 33 defines a portion of the front face of the arm unit.

It will be noted therefore, especially in Figures 2 and 4, that there is provided a recess 35 between the marginal frame piece 32 and the post 33 and this recess is occupied by the interlocking brackets when the arm and seat units are assembled.

The bracket part 40 of the assembly 22, which is carried by the arm unit 17, is provided with an elongated securing flange 41 which is preferably disposed between the frame elements 30 and V32. Screws 42 or other fastening elements may be passed through the openings 43 in the flange 41 for securing the bracket to the arm element. The arm bracket member 40 is also provided with a hook portion 45 which extends outwardly at right angles to the attaching llange 41 in a direction toward the seat unit 12 and this 'nook is provided with a return bend 46 having a flange 47 parallel with the main portion of the hook 45 and terminating in a sloping or diagonally inclined surface 48.

The mating cooperating bracket element 50 of the couple 22 is secured as by means of the screws 51 to a frame member 52 of the seat portion 12 of the chair.

This bracket 50 is provided with an attaching llange 53 which has openings 54 therein to receive the screws 51. A hook portion 55 extends at right angles to the ilange 53 and is of similar construction to the cooperating hook 45 but reversely constructed and arranged. A return bend 56 joins the flange 57 to the main portion of the hook 55 and the arrangement terminates in the diagonal edge prtion 58.

Finally, it will be noted that there is formed upon the lower edge portion of the securing flange 41 of the arm attached bracket 40, a horizontal supporting ange 60 which, as clearly shown in Figure 3, underlies and supports the forward side edge of the seat unit 12.

In assembling the forward portion of the chair, that is, securing the seat unit 12 to both of the arm units 16 and 17, the hook portion 55 of the bracket 50 is introduced to the upper portion of the hook portion 45 of the arm-attached bracket 40 and the seat, together with its two brackets 50, is pressed downwardly with relation to the arm units, the brackets 40 and 50 not only coming into firmer contact during this depression movement, but also drawing closer together laterally which forces the seat unit and the arm units toward each other so that the protruding upholstery (suggested by the fabric portion 63 of the seat unit and the fabric portion 64 of the arm unit) are brought into compressive contact. Thus, the expansion tendency of the upholstered interconnected elements serves to more firmly maintain the interlocking relationship when the parts are finally assembled.

During the downward sliding movement of the bracket with relation to the bracket 40, the inclined edge face 58 of the seat bracket moves along the inner edge 65 of the bight 46 of the hook 45 of the arm unit, and the inner corner 66 of the bight 56 of the bracket 50 slides along in contact with the inclined surface 48 of the hook portion 45 of the arm unit. All this is clearly shown in Figure 6 of the drawings. When the parts are in their final assembled position they appear as in Figure 3 of the drawings.

- Now, referring more particularly to Figures 7-10 of the drawings, it will be seen that the rearwardly disposed vertical framing 70 of the arm member 17 carries an elongated flanged bracket element 75 which forms a part of the bracket assembly 23 already pointed out in a general Way. This bracket element is provided with the openings 76 through which screws 77 may pass to secure it to the arm unit 17. This bracket tapers in a downward direction and the margins are bent and turned inwardly toward each other as at 78 and 79 and the lower end is provided with a horizontal supporting flange 80, the purpose and function of which will be described presently. Secured to the frame piece 82 of the back unit 14 is a mating bracket element 85 which is of the same general downwardly convergent configuration as the bracket 75 but is provided with the angularly disposed wings 86. The bracket 85 is also provided with openings 87 through which the screws 88 pass for securing this bracket element to the frame part 82.

In assembling the back unit 14 and the side units 16, 17 the respective brackets 85 are interengaged with the brackets 75, the wings 86 entering beneath the inturned flanges '78 and 79 of the latter bracket and finally coming to rest in the condition shown in Figures 7 and 9. In this ultimate position the lower end of the back member 14 rests upon the rearward portion of the rather wide ilange 80 of the arm-attached bracket 75, as shown in Figure 7, and the forward portion of the llange 80 serves to support the rear part of the seat unit 12.

After the assembling of the two sets of interlocking securing means 22 and 23, an additional safeguard can be effected which will prevent inadvertent disengagement of the parts upon lifting the chair by the seat or back units. Thus, as shown in Figures 2 and 3, the forward horizontal supporting bracket 60 is provided with an opening 90 through which a screw 91 is adapted to pass and the rear horizontal supporting brackets 80, as shown in Figures 7 and 8, are provided with openings 92 and 93 through which the screws 94 and 95 are adapted to pass. The safety screw 91, of course, enters the frame member 52 of the seat unit 12, the screw 94 passes into the frame element 97 of the lower part of the back member 14, and the safety screw passes into the frame piece 98 at the rear of the seat unit 12.

Thus, it will be seen that the chair or sofa element to which the invention is applied, is adapted to be readily assembled and disassembled by the mere interlocking of the brackets thus provided, and even if additional safety securing means are deemed advisable, it suffices to employ six screws which may be easily applied without disturbing the upholstery or covering fabric of the chair parts. In fact, the chair units are completely upholstered prior to assembly and the various bracket elements are either secured to the units over the upholstery fabric or protrude through snugly fitting openings in that fabric of a size only suflicient to accommodate the passage of the particular bracket part. This feature, whereby no zippered openings or any other disturbance of the fabric is called for, together with the resilient compression of the fabric and upholstery as the wedging interlocking brackets are gradually applied, constitutes important features of the novelty of the invention.

It will be understood that various changes and modications may be made in the embodiment illustrated and described herein without departing from the scope of the invention as defined by the following claims.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new and desired to be secured by Letters Patent is:

l. An upholstered chair or sofa comprising separable parts capable of being transported in knockdown condition and readily assembled at the point of use; said parts including two arm units adapted to rest upon the floor, and a seat unit and a back unit both adapted to be attached to andl supported by said arm units; all of said units being substantially completely covered with upholstery fabric except for ground contacting portions; mating interlocking wedge brackets projecting respec tively from each of said arm units inwardly toward said seat unit and from said seat unit outwardly toward said arm units; the wedging engagement movement of said mutually engaging brackets being accomplished by movement of said seat Iunit downwardly with respect to said arm units, and being of such length that the upholstered ultimately contacting surfaces of the arm and seat units come into supeicial contact before the brackets are in full interlocking engagement and are placed under some degree of compression by the time the wedging brackets approach full engagement; a substantially horizontal inwardly extending ledge formed on the lower end portion of each of the armeattached brackets upon which an edge portion of the seat may rest for support and for positive limitation of its downward movement; and means for detachably connecting said back unit with certain of the other units comprising the sofa or chair.

2. An upholstered chair or sofa comprising separable parts capable of being transported in knockdown condition and readily assembled at the point of use; said parts including two arm units adapted to rest upon the floor, and a seat unit and a back unit both adapted to be embraced by, attached to, and supported by said arm units; all of said units being substantially completely covered with upholstery fabric except for ground contacting portions; mating interlocking brackets projecting respectively from each of said arm units inwardly toward said back unit and from said back unit outwardly toward said arm units, the engagement movement of said mutually engaging brackets being accomplished by movement of said back unit downwardly with respect to said arm units; stop means limiting the downward interlocking movement of the back unit, said stop means comprising a substantially horizontal inwardly extending ledge formed on the lower end portion of each of the arm-attached brackets, said ledges being of relatively great extent in the front to rear direction and underlying and supporting portions of both the back unit and the seat unit at the respective sides of the chair or sofa; and means for detachably connecting the arm Iunits and the seat unit adjacent thertorward portions.

3. An upholstered chair or sofa comprising separable parts capable of being transported in knock-down condition and readily assembled at the point of use; said parts including two arm units adapted to rest upon the floor, and a seat unit and a back unit both adapted to be attached to and supported by said arm units; all of said units being substantially completely covered with upholstery fabric except for ground contacting portions; mating interlocking wedge brackets projecting respectively from each of said arm units inwardly toward said seat unit and from said seat unit outwardly toward said arm units, the wedging engagement movement of said mutually engaging brackets being accomplished by movement of said seat unit downwardly with respect to said arm units, and being of such length that the upholstered ultimately contacting surfaces of the arm and seat units come into superficial contact before the brackets are in full interlocking engagement and are placed under some degree of compression by the time the wedging brackets come to full engagement; other mating interlocking brackets projecting respectively from each of said arm units inwardly toward said back nuit and from said back unit outwardly toward said arm units at each side of the rear portion of the chair or sofa, the engagement movement of the last named mutually engaging brackets being accomplished by movement of the back unit in a. generally downward direction with respect to Said arm units; and a plurality of stop means for limiting the downward movement of both the seat unit and the back unit with respect to the arm unit; said stop means comprising a substantially horizontal ledge formed on the lower end portions of each of the arm supported brackets, the ledges of the two trst named brackets extending beneath and supporting the forward portion of the seat unit, and the ledges of the last named brackets extending beneath and supporting both the rearward portions of the seat unit .and the closely juxtaposed side portions of the back unit.

4. Thechair or sofa as set forth in claim 3 in which openings are provided in all of the ledges, and screws pass through said openings into the supported edge portions of the seat and back units to prevent inadvertent upward dislodgement of said seat and back units from the arm units, all of the operative portions of said brackets being external of the upholstery fabric covering the several units, the said screws being the only manipulative elements `employed in connecting the units, whereby no access openings need be provided in the upholstery fabric.

5, A piece of furniture comprising at least two separable parts capable of being transported in knock-down condition and readily assembled at the point of use; and mating interlocking wedge brackets projecting respectively from each of said parts one toward the other, each of said brackets comprising a plate having a return bend therein thus providing a hook-shaped member consisting of two substantially parallel anges standing substantially at right angles to the adjacent margins of the furniture parts; means for securing one of said flanges of each bracket to the appropriate part, the other ilange having its terminal edge directed inwardly toward said part but spaced therefrom at its nearest point at least for a distance equal to the thickness of said bracket plate, the hook-shaped bracket members being interlocked, with the second-named anges of each bracket inserted within the bight of the return-bent opposite member and between the two llanges of the latter; the said terminal edges of the respective second-named flanges being inclined in opposite directions, whereby when the brackets are engaged by sliding movement the respective inclined terminal edges slide against the end portions of the bight of the opposite member and thus effect a wedging movement drawing the brackets and thus the furniture parts gradually together.

6. The piece of furniture as set forth in claim 5, in which one of the brackets is formed with a projecting ledge ilange extending at right angles to the rst named ilanges and positioned beneath a portion of the opposite bracket to limit the relative engaging movement of the brackets.

References Cited 'in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 

